Zucchini Lasagna

It is no surprise that I am obsessed with zucchini. It is cheap, delicious, and you can use it in so many dishes. I love taking foods that are "blank canvasses" and seeing all the things I can do to them to change them completely, its almost magical! I found this recipe for Zucchini lasagna, and decided to roll with it.

What you need:

3 Medium Zucchinis
Ricotta Cheese
Tomato Pasta Sauce

What to do:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
While preheating, cut the zucchini width wise into slices under a half and inch thick.
Layer the zucchini, sauce, and cheese in a baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 50 minutes, then let sit for 10 minutes.





Sorry this ended up being not so pretty. Who knew that using zucchini instead of pasta would make it fall apart into a big mess?





This dish was so simple and easy to make; only three ingredients and not much effort.  The beauty of this meal is that you can add so many different things and end up with a different meal every night. Add onions, garlic, oregano, hot peppers - its endless! The mix of tomato sauce and ricotta gave it that authentic perfect Italian flavor. The zucchini was both soft and crunchy, giving this dish a nice mix of textures.  Substituting pasta for veggies increased the healthiness level, but didn't jeopardize the comforting factor. This was a great version of the classic comfort food.   

What is your favorite way to alter a blank canvass dish?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Mexican Zucchini Skillet

Hello veggies! How is everyone doing? I am spending the weekend in PA with Ben and his family to celebrate his birthday. I am so excited to be here because I get to enjoy all the foods Ben and I love near his house.  Now that we live far away, its rare I get to have these special foods, so I am enjoying it while I can!

As you can probably tell, I love me some zucchini. Its so easy to transform it. You can add Asian, Italian, or even Mexican flavors, and they all seem to go perfectly with zucchini. Today I decided on a Mexican flare.



Adapted from Skinny Taste.

What you need:



2 cloves of garlic, diced
2 medium zucchinis, chopped
Olive oil
1 large tomato, chopped
Oregano
Basil
Onion powder
1 tablespoon taco sauce
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Lime juice
Salt and pepper

What to do:

Cook the garlic in the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat for about a minute.
Stir in the zucchini and tomato and cook for about 5-6 minutes.



Add in the onion powder, oregano, basil, lime juice, and taco sauce. Mix it all together, and then remove the skillet from heat.



Season with salt and pepper.
Top with cheese and serve.







I ate my zucchini skillet with a side of rice.



When I took my first bite, the first thing I noticed was the authentic Mexican flavor. I'm not sure if it came from the Mexican cheese, or the taco sauce, but it was so good!  The zucchini and tomatoes were so fresh, and all the spices came together really well. The taco sauce didn't add too much heat, so if you are like me and love spicy foods, I would definitely add a little more spice. The hint of lime really tied everything together.  Overall I really loved this dish. I can't wait to make it again!

What is your favorite way to make zucchini? Will you try this Mexican skillet?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Trader Joe's Fusilli with Vegetables & Basil Pesto

Hey everyone! Today I have a scheduled post as I am currently in Pennsylvania loading up the moving truck with the things in Ben's house. I can't believe that tomorrow we are finally moving in together and I will be living on my own for the first time! Its a big step, but I'm ready for it!

Today I have a Trader Joe's meal that I recently tried for the first time.



Trader Joe's Fusilli with Vegetables & Basil Pesto was filled with perfectly cooked pasta, tasty pesto, and tomatoes, zucchini, and pesto.



I loved the description on the side of the box! I don't think I could have said it better myself!



As this was cooking, my whole kitchen smelled like a vegetable garden! These veggies smelled and tasted so fresh.



When I mixed it up I found the pesto hiding at the bottom, that sneaky devil! It was so delicious and the Italian flavor went perfectly with the veggies.  The zucchini was so crunchy and the hot tomato juice burst in my mouth with each bite. This dish tasted like it came from a restaurant, and I made it in my microwave in 5 minutes!

This was such a light and tasty meal. I am glad I tried it, I will definitely get this again!

Have you tried this Trader Joe's pasta dish?

Bye from the Veggie Side!